Nothing Can Hurt You Now
by Katrina Snape
Summary: War-set play, about a couple remembering the time before the supposed WW3. Possibly not finished. PG-13 for refrences to death, war and sex. You get the idea.


Breathless

Nothing Can Hurt You Now

**Scene 1: Annie & Matthew's raid shelter**

** **

[The lights go up and we see, downstage left, two people huddled together on a couch or seat of some sort. They are Annie and Matthew. Around them, a blue light flickers occasionally as the wind roars ahead. The curtains are closed and the two are seated in front of them. Annie is looking up at Matthew with a pensive look and Matthew is running his hand through her hair]

**Annie:** How long do you think it will be until the Russians fly over?

**Matthew:** About an hour, I suppose. But we won't hear them. They have these new silencing things. Not even a dog can hear them.

**Annie: **Oh. [She pauses, and picks up what appears to be a photo].

**Matthew: **[Watching her] What is it?

**Annie:** I'm trying to remember what it was like before the war.

**Matthew:** Can't you?

**Annie:** No. All I can remember is hearing that broadcast saying the war had started.

**Matthew:** It doesn't seem like the war's been going on for six years already...

**Annie:** No. It seems like a lifetime...

[The two look at their entwined hands and the light on them fades out as the curtains open. The stage is set as a typical English living room - sofa, table, TV &c. A woman walks in, talking on the telephone.]

**Phoebe:** So how are you? [Pause] Good, I'm fine. Listen, do you want to come over tonight? There's a couple of us renting a vid and we're getting a few people together to watch. [Pause] You can? Great! See you at seven? Kay then. Bye! [She puts down the phone. The lights fade out.]

[The lights come up and there are five young people squashed on the sofa. One of the women gets up and switches off the TV. They spread themselves about the room and begin to chat idly.]

**Mike:** So, any of you lovely ladies got plans for the rest of the night?

**Alika: **You offering something, boy?

**Mike: **I might be. You wanna accept it?

**Alika: **[Leans in close to Mike] I wouldn't accept it if my life depended on it. [She grins and sits back up as the others laugh. Mike laughs with them]

**Phoebe:** What you all doing this week?

**Alika:** I'm working...damn build buggered up and we've got to re-do the entire program.

**Mike:** Yeah, it'll take ages though.

**Cat: **Optimistic pair, aren't you?

**Paul: **We've got a predicted valentines rush at Thorntons.

**Phoebe:** Mmm....chocolate...[Turns to Paul] Can I come work with you?

**Alika:** You must get free chocolate?

**Girls:** Mmm...chocolate!

**Mike: **[Sighs] Women. Chocolate.

**Paul:** Of course, if any of you'd like free chocolate you only have to go out with me.

**Cat:** Question is, do you like chocolate that much?

**Phoebe:** No.

**Alika:** No way!

**Paul:** [Throws up hands in indignation] The respect I get from these women...

**Mike:** You mean the respect you _don't_ get!

[lights go down on the main stage, and the blue spots come up on Annie and Matthew]

**Matthew: **See? You _can_ remember.

**Annie: **I still can't believe we used to laugh and joke and talk normally, like human beings, only six years ago. War wasn't even looming round the corner then! People were contented, and happy. And war swept down on them like some big dishcloth and cleaned us of our petty little lives that meant so much.

**Matthew:** Annie....

** **

**Annie:** No, Matthew, don't try to shut me up - it's the truth. And you know it! England is dying, Matthew. We're losing the war. We've already lost towns like Liverpool, Birmingham and Norwich. And London is next. We are next. Matthew, I don't want to die. I don't want you to die. I don't want to leave behind what we have!

**Matthew:** But what we have is special, Annie. We will live through the war. I promise!

**Annie:** Matthew, you can't promise that! No one can!

**Matthew:** No, I can't. But I can promise you that wherever I go, wherever you go...we will always be together. I love you!

[Annie relaxes as Matthew pushes a stray strand of hair out of her face and tucks it behind her ear. He pulls her close to him, and she rests her head against his chest.]

**Annie:** Thank you.

[The lights go down on them again, and up on the main stage, revealing a busy hospital. Everyone is wearing white masks which go down to their noses. The rest of their face is powdered white. There is a main bed with an elderly man lying on it. A woman is standing by him.]

**Dream Annie:** Father, I don't want you to leave! Please don't die! Please?

**Dream Christopher:** Annie...look after yourself, okay...look after Matthew, look after yourself...don't worry about me; I'll be fine as long as you are, Annie darling.

**Dream Annie: **No...no you're not dying, you're not! I won't let you!

**Dream Christopher:** I am, Annie. Look at me! I'm old, older than you can ever dream of being. I'm dying. Believe me. I'm dying.

**Dream Annie: **No..you can't be, daddy you're not dying...you're not! [Pause] Daddy? [Pause, louder] Daddy?

**Dream Christopher: **Goodbye...Annie.

**Dream Annie: **No! NO!

**Dream Nurse: **Come on, sweetie, leave him.

**Dream Annie: **You're not dead! You can't be! Don't leave me! Please! Don't leave me!

[As she cries her last words the lights go out on the main stage and up on Annie and Matthew.]

**Annie:** [Sits up, breathless] Daddy...

**Matthew: **What is it? Annie? Annie, what's wrong?

**Annie: **It killed him.._.war _killed him...

**Matthew: **Annie, he died of a stroke...

**Annie: **No, no he died of a combat wound...a gunshot...a gunshot to the heart...

**Matthew: **Annie, Annie...shh...calm down. 

**Annie:** War killed him...war killed daddy...

**Matthew: **Come on, Annie! Be strong! Don't let war overtake you! I won't let it, why should you?

**Annie: **Matthew....

**Matthew: **Annie, war will not kill us. I won't let it! I love you, Annie! [He cups her face with his hands and forces her head upwards so she has to look at him] Don't you love me? Annie? Where is the Annie I fell in love with seven years ago? Where is the Annie I proposed to on Valentine's Day? Don't let war confuse you, Annie. I don't want it to!

[She sobs and Matthew takes her in his arms, pulling her close to his chest.]

**Annie:** I'm sorry, I just...don't know whether I can take this much longer. It's too much to cope with. I love you with all my heart, but I feel like war is taking you away from me, and then daddy died, and...

**Matthew:** Sssh, it's okay. I'm here. Nothing can hurt you anymore.

[lights down, final curtain]


End file.
